BHA, BHT, & BTA – Harmful Food Preservatives To Avoid!

by admin on 7:40 PM

BHA, BHT, & BTA are Harmful Food Preservatives

What are these food preservatives?

BHA, BHT, and BTA act as antioxidants in our foods and are used in to extend shelf life. BTA, BHT, and BHA all preserve the freshness and wholesomeness of the foods that they are added to and prevent foods from spoiling.

What products are these potentially harmful food preservatives found in?

BHA, BTA, and BHT are often found in chewing gum, baked products, potato chips, cereals, soup-based foods, ice cream, gelatin desserts, dry mixes for desserts, un-smoked dry sausage, oils, snack foods, beer, pet food, and even cosmetics and jet fuel! Make sure to check labels to see if your foods contains any of these harmful preservatives.

How do BHA, BHT, and BTA work?

Most foods will inevitably spoil without some kind of temperature control or use of preservatives. The reason for this is oxidation. When oxygen reacts with the fats or the oils in the food, it causes oxidation, which, in simpler terms, means that the food becomes spoiled. Since BHA, BTA, and BHA are antioxidants, the oxygen reacts with them instead of the fats and oils, thus preserving freshness. BHA and BHT are used primarily to keep fats from becoming rancid. BHA is also used as a yeast de-foaming agent. BHT is also used to preserve food odor, color, and flavor, is used in shortening and is added to cereals and other fat containing foods.

What are the dangers of BHA, BHT, and BTA?

There has not been nearly enough research done on these BHA, BTA, and BHT, but studies have shown that increased levels of cancer and tumor growths, as well as liver disease, with the consumption of these preservatives. The major study done was on rats. Rats were given these preservatives which caused the rats to have stunted growth, weight loss, liver, kidney, and testicle damage, elevated blood cholesterol levels, and rat baldness. In addition, it caused the offspring to be born without eyes and showed signs of brain complications.

In Conclusion,

BHA, BHT, and BTA research is still fairly primitive and before anything conclusive can be said about these products, more research must be done. The rat studies really showed the potential dangers, but the amount of these substances given to the rats is substantially more than the amount in the foods humans can consume. My personal opinion is to avoid these food preservatives at all costs. Foods were not meant to be “fresh” for so long a period of a time. They spoil because that is nature’s way. Potentially harmful food preservatives, such as BHA, BTA, and BHT, when added to foods, are humans trying to play the role of nature, which, in my opinion, is a very dangerous combination. There are natural food preservatives, such as salt, sugar, vinegar, and rosemary extract that are much better options than BHA, BTA, and BHT. Next time you go to the grocery store, read the ingredient label, so you can see what you are really putting into your body. To avoid all risk of potentially harming your health, go with a natural diet without the use of these preservatives. Consume foods found in nature and that are preserved the way nature intended. BHA, BHT, and BTA are harmful preservatives to avoid if possible. I hope you found this article informing and if you have any questions or comments, feel free to email us at phenom.fitness.and.health@gmail.com

Thanks for the information. However, I feel that one of your natural ingredients has been proven to be very harmful to our bodies. We are told that cancer cells love sugar. Also, that sugar lowers the immune system, therefore, leaving the body more prone to disease. Of course, there are other things that are said to be caused by sugar, such as Alzheimer’s Disease. It is obvious that more and more is being discovered about the harms of sugar.

Again, I appreciate your information. It stands to reason that when we try to alter foods, in any way, that isn’t of a purely natural way, such as salt, we are treading on dangerous ground. My wife and I use sea salt.